Long Ride
by Collie
Summary: Angel's *real* feelings about being forced to wear the pink ladies' helmet in 'First Impressions'.


TITLE: Long Ride.   
AUTHOR: Collie.   
EMAIL: fiendishthingee@aol.com   
RATING: PG.   
FEEDBACK: It's what makes the world go 'round.   
SUMMARY: Angel's *real* feelings about being forced to wear the pink ladies' helmet.   
SPOILERS: AtS S2, 'First Impressions'.   
DISTRIBUTION: YGTS?, and Through My Eyes. Anyone else, just let me know.   
DISCLAIMER: Angel and Wesley belong to Joss. Angel's issues belong on the magazine stand with all of his other subscriptions.   
NOTES: Answer to challenge #53 at YGTS? Also, it's been a long time since I've seen 'First Impressions', so I'm taking liberty with it. I can't remember if they knew Angel's car had been stolen yet, or if they just knew it was gone. Just go with the flow.   
DEDICATION: To Trina, who made me laugh my ass off at the idea of writing this fic. Hope you dig it.   
  
  
Wesley, black helmet in hand, threw his leg over the seat of his motorcycle and climbed on. After waiting a beat for Angel, he glanced up, raising an eyebrow at the hesitant vampire.   
  
"Come on. What are you waiting for?"   
  
Angel appeared slightly flustered, raising a bright pink helmet, gesturing helplessly to it.   
  
"I-I-I really don't think it's gonna fit."   
  
Wesley stared, trying hard to contain the laughter that was threatening to burst from his chest. He'd waited *so* long to get Angel into a situation like this. He'd always wondered what his boss would do when faced with a situation that made him appear to be less than manly. Angel had thrust Wesley into *that* situation many times before. It was Wesley's turn for revenge. Well, revenge of the.. slightly-petty-almost-unrevengy-type. The type Wesley preferred, as it didn't involve getting him beat up and fired over. He cleared his throat, throwing Angel a 'don't be ridiculous' glance.   
  
"Of course it will. Put it on."   
  
Angel frowned.   
  
"You know, I-I don't need a helmet for protection.."   
  
Wesley's lips quirked as the smile almost escaped. Angel certainly was willing to try any and all excuses in the book to get out of this one. Wesley gazed evenly at Angel, his voice stern.   
  
"Angel, it's the law in California. Do you want us to get pulled over?"   
  
Angel shrugged slightly, looking a bit dejected.   
  
"No.."   
  
"Then what's the problem?"   
  
Maybe he was afraid it would mess up his hair.   
  
"Well, it-it's just, you know.. the whole.. visibility issue, not to mention the whole hat-head thing, and if you really think about it -- how come I have to wear the ladies helmet?"   
  
So it *was* the hair. Wesley smirked, rolling his eyes.   
  
"Stop being such a wanker and put it on!"   
  
Angel opened his mouth, surely prepared to spout off a few more reasons of protest, but Wesley just stared at him. Angel shut his mouth, scowling as he slipped on the pink helmet. Wesley grinned and put on his own, starting up the bike.   
  
"Good. Hop on board, gorgeous."   
  
Angel paused, glaring down at the grinning Brit.   
  
"You'll pay for this."   
  
Angel grumbled, sliding onto the seat behind Wesley who laughed softly, making sure the sound was masked under the loud roar of the bike's engine.   
  
***   
  
Angel glowered as the bike roared through the darkened streets of Los Angeles. For some reason, this slight position of submission to the Englishman was eating at him much more than it should have. Maybe it was the anxiety of the evening that was getting to him, but for some reason, Angel felt really offended. He'd always been the boss. Always called the shots. Always been 'The Man' -- but now, here he was, sitting behind Wesley on Wesley's motorcycle, arms wrapped around the ex-Watcher's waist, wearing a pink ladies' helmet.   
  
No, this was not sitting well with Angel.   
  
Wesley, on the other hand, was tickled. He could feel the vampire sulking. He let out another snicker.   
  
"What's so funny, Wes?"   
  
Wesley sobered, shaking his head.   
  
"Whatever do you mean, Angel?"   
  
Angel scowled at the back of the black helmet in front of him.   
  
"You think this is funny, don't you? Making me wear the pink helmet, making me sit behind you like you're the big bad motorcycle man. Yeah, ha ha. Make fun of Angel because he let Cordy get his car stolen."   
  
Wesley laughed again.   
  
"Angel, I do believe you're overreacting. I thought nothing of the sort."   
  
Angel rolled his eyes, delivering Wesley a painful pinch to the side.   
  
"Liar."   
  
Wesley let out a yelp, which finally earned Angel a modicum of smug satisfaction. Wesley pressed his lips together, speeding up the bike a bit.   
  
"Angel, I don't know what's gotten into you. If you have a problem with not being in control, then I suggest you learn to get over it, because it will crop up from time to time, you know."   
  
"I *don't* have a problem with not being in control. It's just.. I don't.. It's.. oh, shut up, Wesley."   
  
Wesley's lips twitched with silent laughter. He decided to push a bit more.   
  
"I didn't think you'd be so easily humbled, Angel. I thought you'd put up more of a fight."   
  
Oh, that was it.   
  
"That's it, Wesley! I know your game. You think you have the power because you have the ride, right? Just because I'm in an unfortunate position of submission, you can rub it in my face. 'Oh, let's egg the angry vampire on because there's nothing he can do while we're going 75mph on my bike through the streets of down town Los Angeles. This way, I can get my smug jollies.' That's it, right? Oh, and speaking of your bike.."   
  
Wesley grinned, slowing to a stop at the red light that had just blinked on. he stopped the bike and the engine silenced to a low rumble. Angel didn't seem to notice as he continued his diatribe.   
  
"..and just because you own the bike means you get to order me around like some he-bitch?"   
  
Wesley couldn't help it. He burst into helpless laughter, which only led to infuriate Angel more. But, before he could let out another string of insults, an effeminate head topped with frosty-tipped blond hair poked itself out of the window of the car stopped beside them.   
  
"Oh, honey -- if he's treatin' you bad, just hop on into this party wagon. We'll treat you right, sugar."   
  
Angel and Wesley jerked their head's towards the feminine voice, Wesley's face splitting into a grin at the extremely gay-looking young man addressing Angel, who was staring in horror at the youth. As they watched, another window rolled itself down, revealing three other young men, all seemingly of the same ilk as the one addressing them. The boy continued.   
  
"Come on, cutie. We're don't bite. Hard."   
  
The group in the car dissolved into giggles, and Wesley could feel Angel's embarrassment. And he knew Angel well enough to know that embarrassment led to anger, and in the state Angel was in, that wasn't good. Angel growled, his demon sliding forth to cover his human features.   
  
"Oh, yeah? That's a shame, because I do."   
  
Wesley's eyes widened and he jerked his eyes forward, just in time to see the stoplight signal turn green. He hissed back at Angel.   
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Knock it off."   
  
Angel growled once more, the demon desolving to reveal his human face, which was almost as scary at that moment. Wesley threw a nervous laugh at the car.   
  
"Sorry, fellas.. make-up, you know. Um.. actors.. um.."   
  
But his words were lost in the sound of squealing tires and frightened curses as the car shot away from the stoplight. Wesley grumbled, pulling out into traffic himself.   
  
"Nice going, *Spike*."   
  
Angel frowned, getting right back into it.   
  
"And just what is that supposed to mean? How could you compare me to him? You are being such a.."   
  
Wesley just shook his head, tuning the ranting vampire out.   
  
It was going to be a long ride.   
  



End file.
